How to Save Big Money on a Cruise Vacation

Cruises are a luxury that not everyone can afford. For those who want to take the plunge, but don't have thousands of dollars lying around, following these tips and tricks will help you save some serious dough!

1) Book early

The best time to book is at least eight months in advance. If this isn't possible for you, try booking as close as possible to your desired departure date. Newer ships with more amenities cost more, so there's always a chance they'll go down in price closer to departure.

Booking at least three months in advance can get you discounts up to 35% off. That's a lot of money that can go towards your onboard activities!

2) Search for deals

Use resources like CruiseCompete.com and BookWithCruise.com to get the best deal. Set up alerts on sites like Groupon Getaways to find out when a hot deal pops up, so you don't miss out.

3) Pick up a travel package

Travel packages include airfare and hotel accommodations which means you won't need to worry about booking flights or hotels separately- it's all included! Some travel packages even include pre-cruise hotel stays and transfers to the port, so you can arrive rested and ready to go!

4) Use credit card perks

Many credit cards offer perks like free baggage check-in, priority boarding, and onboard credits. These are great perks considering the amount of time you spend on the ship. Many cards like Wells Fargo's Propel card even give you cash back for cruises!

5) Avoid ATM Fees

Want to save cash on your cruise? One of the best ways to do that is to ditch all the crazy ATM fees! Nobody likes paying money just to access their money. So how do you avoid this? Grab your cash on the shore when you make port. Use a local bank ATM. You’ll save all sorts of cash!

6) Buy the Drink and Food Cards

Much like the ATMs, when there’s no place to go, you have to use what is on board. Food and drink is one of the great offerings on a cruise, unless you don’t have a food and drink card. This really adds up when buying per meal or per drink. Whether you go with the all inclusive cards or spring for the discount cards running $40 or so, you’ll save far more with the card than trying to pay by the meal.

This can be a great way to avoid spending extra money on food and drinks throughout your vacation.

7) Avoid the Cell Phone Roaming Charges

You're on vacation! Don't let the hundreds of dollars you spent getting there go down the drain by running up your cell phone bill.

To avoid crazy international fees, purchase a local SIM card from a nearby kiosk or land-based shop before boarding and just use it in your phone while you're docked at port. This way, you'll get local rates and won't have to pay the outrageous roaming fees.

8) Change Your Money on Board

If you do opt to use your credit card or debit card, keep in mind that it's much better to bring cash onto the ship with you in order to avoid any exchange rate fees for changing money!

9) Don't Book Shore Excursions Through the Cruise Line

Did you know that for every shore excursion booked through the cruise line, they charge a 10-15% commission?

To get around this and save some cash, book your shore excursions in advance at each port. You can do this on your own by looking up nearby attractions or research the activities offered by private tour companies. You'll avoid the commission fees and can save your money.

Following these 9 easy tips can save you a lot of money on your cruise and make the experience that much more enjoyable. You'll enjoy your vacation even more if you know how to take advantage of all the benefits offered by cruising, while still making sure it's affordable for you!

Let us know which tip is best for saving big bucks: are you going to book early? Booking online deals? Grabbing travel packages with airfare and hotel accommodations included? Using credit card perks like free baggage check-in or priority boarding? Or avoiding ATM fees altogether when in port by using cash instead of cards? We're ready to help every step along the way so let us know what we can do for you!